**Empty Graves Signal Mary’s Assumption **

The absence of Mary's corpse, despite the presence of her grave clothes, provides compelling evidence of her Assumption into heaven, as recognized by early church officials. The emperors' demand for the casket containing Mary's clothing and its subsequent deposit in a church signify a belief in her heavenly status. This belief among prominent church figures suggests an early acknowledgement of Mary's Assumption and challenges the characterization of those who embrace this view as heretical. The narrative indicates that even those without an official definition of Mary's Assumption accepted it as an integral part of reliable ancient Christianity, underlining the need for a deeper understanding of Christology and church history within Christian discourse. Additionally, there is a strong argument from silence regarding the absence of any counterclaims about Mary’s remains being on Earth, reinforcing the idea that her Assumption was widely accepted from the beginning of church history.